Where is this from? ISTR hearing it about 30 years ago in the context of an Arabic-to-English dictionary. (Not an actual one.)
Maybe an SNL skit?
Amazingly, I know exactly where it’s from. It’s from a parody catalogue called Items from Our Catalog which mocked LL Bean, Hammacher Schlemmer, and so forth. It was actually an Esperanto phrasebook. (To my surprise, the image featured a correct Esperanto title.)
Another sentence was “I am suffering from frostbite/food poisoning/anomie. Please help me.”
Other items from the same catalogue included the Building Cozy, the Camouflage Pancake Mix, the Talking Ham, and (my mother’s favourite) the Thinsulite Papal Vestments.
I must admit, I’m pretty surprised to see that phrase turn up again.
Thanks, matt_mcl!
I’ve ordered it, and More Items from Our Catalog.
From the same year, have you ever read Meet Mr. Bomb? I have it, and thought it was hilarious. ‘Neutron attack? Disguise yourself as a building!’